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$40 Short Ram Intake DIY

117K views 396 replies 131 participants last post by  Mimmi 
#1 ·
I've been looking into buying an intake for the saab but I didn't wanna pay rediculous prices for parts that I can make myself and will work as well. Even though theres no performance add w/ this mod, the spool up sounds great and the diverter valve is really loud now.

Disclaimer: You will ruin your airbox if you make a mistake doing this mod, so take your time and cut carefully. You only have one chance at making it work.

Step 1: Using a sawzall, dremel, hacksaw or whatever, cut the "tube" off the top piece of the airbox. The tube goes farther into the airbox but I only cut it about 4 inches south of the MAF sensor

Step 2: Clamp a 2.75in coupler to the MAF tube. I used variable size 2.75 inlet / 3.00 outlet coupler.

Step 3: Clamp a straight piece of intake pipe to the end of the coupler.

Step 4: (Optional) Clamp a 45* or 90* elbow if you want your airfilter facing down closer to the air duct

Step 5: Install your filter of choice and check if everything is tight and secure.

APC Filter: $20
Coupler: Freebie (Spare)
Intake Straight Pipe: $10
90* Intake Elbow: $10
Total: $40


Yes that is a ziptie, temporary until I fab up some kind of support. I'm also going to make a heatshield next time it's not 0 degrees outside
 
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#305 ·
I just finished mine this afternoon. I'm on my iPhone right now so I can't post pics but I'll put it up tomorrow. I was a little bit skeptical at first but after reading how many people did it I said to hell with it. Seriously the easiest mod I've ever done in my life. It took longer to drive to the store, buy the parts, and find my tools than it did to actually install it. Cost me just over $60 including tax. The sound is amazing. No CEL. I'm going to home depot tomorrow to get some sheet metal and insulation to make a heat shield.
 
#310 ·
you might get a CEL, the stock pipe that the MAF is in is not a perfect circle on the inside, its got a flat side on the part the MAF is on. Part of the issue that the KnN intake had IIRC
 
#311 ·
I would suggest doing a ship to store order from advanced auto parts, using the coupon code A123. Its a $10 off $30 coupon.

Did this today, and got the coupler, filter, and 3" 45 degree elbow for 30 bucks.

Just thought I would share this incase if anyone was interested in saving some money.
 
#313 ·
did the DIY intake mod on the aero today... total cost was ~$44 including taxes. Was gunna buy a KnN or AEM filter. But the only ones they had were like 5" high so they wouldnt have filled the gap left from the air box. Went and got the spectre filter instead.

 
#314 ·
did the DIY intake mod on the aero today... total cost was ~$44 including taxes. Was gunna buy a KnN or AEM filter. But the only ones they had were like 5" high so they wouldnt have filled the gap left from the air box. Went and got the spectre filter instead.
Looking good Juan, when did you get the v6? Did you get it from Roger Beasley?

Whats next on the mod list, Brembos?;ol;
 
#318 ·
i didnt like the chrome in the bay, considering there is nothing else chrome, i dont plan on adding anything chrome, and it just looked out of place. I decided to go back and do something about it...





the pipe i wrapped in electrical tape to keep it simple. The filter i taped off and painted the chrome black. Prepping the filter for paint took the longest. Had to make sure none made it on the filtering media
 
#323 ·
I'm just surprised it took so long for someone to come up with the idea of using the stock box as a heat shield. Within the first couple of pages of seeing these intakes without a heatshield, I asked myself "why is no one sawing off the top of the stock box?" Glad to see someone did it and was successful.
 
#324 ·
Im going to attempt this over the weekend i have a question though,I have a low profile filter so half the size of most of the filters u guys are using.
Would that be fine or not?

http://www.spectreperformance.com/i...prtm-filter-3-3-5-4-inlet-black-chrome-2.html

The filters out here are really limited and i bought this filter to use with another car but went a different way so i have it sitting.Think i paid $45 for the damn thing.

The only other options i have out here are k&n oiled one for 70 and a aem dry flow for 125 haha.
 
#332 ·
Just installed mine and super happy with the results. Will dremel the stock airbox to make a heat shield, but I also added the AEM intake hydrophobic sheen cover to keep water and other contaminates out. 73 dollars ordered from Advance auto parts with discount coupons. I will post all the exact numbers if anyone wants to mimic my build on the cheap.


 
#336 ·
^^^ lol some really nice jobs here, but the AEM water shield is marginally better than nothing and as the filter gets wet and covered in snow, apart from heat sink, is it worth the sound to risk hydro locking the engine?

wondering.

Probably the #1 mod in any car scene. #1 cause of "boom" in the rain/snow.
 
#340 ·
now here is my question, has anyone tried to re-create the stock airbox with one of these custom air intakes? i plan on making my own, but every 2-3 replies, i see someone say along the lines of, "you're just sucking in hot air from the engine." i was thinking about using metal wrapped with heat wrap to make a heat shield like BSR, and then have the wall continue up and over the intake. and basically make a sheet metal box around the intake. does this sound better in my head or...?

EDIT: damn, i see willsmysticcobra is thinking along the same lines as me haha, shoulda read the whole thread
 
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